After alighting at Ruifang, we took a scenic public bus ride to Jiufen, which apart from being wet (we had to wear raincoats), and steep (with winding steps) and getting lost with our luggage (I couldn't find the minsu), had good food and good views. Apparently, it's uber rainy since it's near the northern coast of Taiwan. And if it didn't rain (like 30 out of 365 days), the view would be to-die-for.
The main reason why you'd visit Jiufen, provided that you are a Studio Ghibli / Hayao Miyazaki fan, is that this small mining town actually inspired Spirited Away. Amazingly so, it feels like you'd just stepped into his animation. Coincidentally, Jiufen was also featured in 'ON AIR'.
Pardon the socks!
Reason why it's hard to find our minsu - it's ridiculously high
FOOD
Chewy with a view
I think he's smiling at me (hui mou yi xiao)
At the fishball and more shop:
Owner is still very much alive, just very much in love with herself, but it only goes to show how much character the shop has. If balls in Taiwan are QQ, then Singapore's ones must be extremely Q
Can't even let us eat in peace? Mummy's been starving you? And you can't get enough of balls?
Next morning, at the cafe run by our minsu for the complimentary breakfast of toast, we were greeted with a very brief glimpse of clear skies and awesome views Jiufen is famed for.
Many trains ply the Ruifang -> Taipei route and it was on this ride that I mastered the Taiwan Train Timing Booklet.
*** I'm not even halfway through the Taiwan photos. Then I realised I should probably should start blogging from Vietnam/Cambodia/Korea 2008. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PHOTOS THIS ENTAILS?
Related Posts:
Taiwan Day 4 - Jiufen:
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